"He asked me where to attack at Sanremo... and he won!" - Michael Matthews reveals his secret tactical aid to Pogacar
CyclingFriday, 10 July 2026 at 20:30
Despite his veteran status in the professional peloton, Michael Matthews still has a lot to offer in races. However the last two seasons did not match his ideal due to severe health problems. In 2025, missed the entire summer due to pulmonary embolism. This year, he missed the entire spring instead after he broke both forearms in a crash during training.
These situations were ever more painful to Matthews as they always came right after he had hit a high; last year his last race was a victory at Eschborn-Frankfurt, this year he had won Gran Premio Castellón few weeks prior.
"It hasn’t been easy. After my pulmonary embolism last year and my broken arms this spring… let’s just say it has made me resilient," Matthews told Wielerflits in the Alpecin Barbershop.
"Of course, it was difficult to watch the races on television in which I myself wanted to do so well. My form was really good, too. Fortunately, my good friend Tadej didn’t do too badly."
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Witnessing greatness
While Matthews needed assistance feeding, Tadej Pogacar was in his own element, winning major races left right and center. That sight brought at least a partial relief to the Australian since the two men - both residents of the Nice/Monaco area - share a close bond.
That is why seeing the Slovenian triumph was enjoyable to the 35-year-old, even though he'd prefer to take him on instead. "I really enjoyed how he put on a show during that period," continues the Jayco AlUla rider.
Matthews, the master tactician..?
Despite the complicated circumstances, the world champion kept in touch with Matthews during his recovery: "Tadej also supported me enormously during that time. He sent a message almost every day during my rehabilitation."
And quite shockingly, Matthews might've even played his part in two of Pogacar's great triumphs - in particular the long seeked-after Monumental victory at La Primavera.
"He also asked me where I wanted him to attack in Milano-Sanremo and Strade Bianche," Matthews reveals. "So I kept telling him roughly when I would turn on the television and that that would be a good moment. He said he would do that. And he did, and he won. Really cool, that made it even more interesting for me to watch."
To watch a close friend claim some of the biggest victories of his career certainly made the recovery period sweeter for Matthews, but the feeling prevails that he'd have rather been in action as well at that time.
"Sometimes it made me sad too. No matter how nice it was to watch, you just want to ride those races yourself."
Especially to miss out on the opening Monument of the season was painful for Matthews who has some unfinished business with the race where he has three podiums to his name - but is yet to win.
"Milano-Sanremo was the hardest for me to watch, but also the most interesting because of the way it unfolded. Tadej’s hard crash, and especially what he showed afterwards on the Cipressa and Poggio, was one of the most impressive performances I have ever seen and perhaps one of the most impressive efforts of this century. The way Pogacar dominated there was absolutely mind-blowing to me," he concludes.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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